1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to vascular connectors, and, more particularly, to vascular connectors used to effect closing and re-opening of vascular ducts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, surgical cutting and tying or clamping techniques have been utilized as the primary solution for separating vascular ducts or vessels which carry fluid when it was desired to prevent the passage of fluid through the vascular duct or vessel.
For example, one very common surgical technique for insuring that male sperm would not be transmitted from a male into a female was to cut and effectively separate the vascular vessel or duct that carried the male sperm known as a Vas Deferens. This surgical technique or procedure became known as a Vasectomy.
One major problem with this prior art surgical technique was that the procedure was not reversible which meant that one seeking to restore this vascular duct or vessel to its original function and operation could not achieve this because the surgical Vasectomy operation caused one cut end of the vascular duct or vessel to be effectively lost forever within the body of the male after being separated and after removal of a section from the other end of the vascular duct or vessel.
Thus, many males became extremely concerned about undergoing such an operation because of the psychological impact created by the knowledge that this surgical procedure was irreversible.
Accordingly, a need existed to provide a technique that could provide both the function of preventing male sperm from traveling through the vascular duct by the separation thereof as well as to permit the subsequent connection or opening of the vascular duct between the two separated portions in order to restore the function of having the male sperm be permitted to travel through the entire vascular duct.